The present invention relates to a multi stage programable power level timer adapted to modulate the heat output simultaneously to a plethora of cooking devices. More particularly, a device that provides a way to attain predictable, repeatable culinary results with a consolidated completion time for all foods.
The American populace is enamored with food. Food fairs and TV cooking shows are on the rise not to mention the growth of neighborhood and chain specialty food stores. The cooking appliance world has met this challenge with an array of computerized smart cooking appliances and appliances specifically tailored to do just one thing well. Unfortunately these appliances are costly and out of many chef's budgets.
In its simplest terms cooking appliances apply heat to food. The better the appliance the more precise control it has over its heat output. The prior art combines precise computer controllers in individual cooking appliances such as “smart ovens” that have timer switched outlets that other devices can connect to and be controlled by. However, the lower end cooking devices such as electric grills, electric frypans, counter top ovens, hot plates and the such generally have crude, single stage, temperature or timer settings. None of the prior art coordinates the cooking of multiple devices at the same time for a unified completion.
The cooking timer maintains the desired heat output (power level) of several devices at the same time by modulating on and off the various devices' power. Each device may be operated at several different power levels for several different periods of time. These accommodate such culinary procedures as searing, brazing, cooking, rapid cooking, simmering, and warming. The cooking timer may be operated in a manual, automatic or override (programable) mode. A fourth mode, the setup mode is utilized to input several of the parameters that the cooking timer's microprocessor needs to know to enable the cooking algorithm to function properly. In the manual mode each heat level and time interval combination (cooking stages) must be set. In the auto mode, recipes can be imported, recalled from memory or programmed in. In auto, the weight of the food is input and the cooking timer cycles through the various cooking stages until the food is cooked. If more than one device is being used a cooking algorithm adjusts the time and power parameters of the cooking stages of the quickest cooked food so that it reaches completion with the slowest food cooked, with stand time included for those recipes that require a period of non heated cooking. This cooking algorithm also operates the power management of all the attached devices so as to ensure that the power rating limitations are not exceeded in both continuous operation and upon power changes in the devices. When in auto mode, the timer may be switched to the override mode momentarily so as to adjust the power and time parameters. This allows the chef to fine tune the various stages of cooking to adjust for particular taste, elevation etc. This also reprograms and stores the modified recipe if the user so desires. In this way cooks can exactly duplicate previous methods of cooking, and have all their food finish cooking at the same time. The prior art is replete with cooking timers, but none that adjust the cooking temperature by modulating on and off the power to the cooking device. This puts precise temperature control in the hands of the chef, which is especially important with “non smart” and single temperature cooking devices such as electric skillets, sandwich presses, hot plates etc.
Henceforth, a multi device programable cooking timer would fulfill a long felt need in the cooking industry. It will allow inexpensive cooking devices to function like the more expensive “smart” computer controlled devices, thus bringing precise cooking into all households, or allowing repeatable cooking results for restaurants. This new invention utilizes and combines known and new technologies in a unique and novel configuration to overcome the aforementioned problems and accomplish this.